CHAPTER XXI 
LARGE FLOCKS VU. SMALL FLOCKS 
defeats the large flock every time. Byasmall flock one 
means anything from half-a-dozen to twenty, housed 
under one roof and allowed to run together ; by a large flock one 
means any number from fifty to five hundred, also lodged under 
one roof and intermingling. 
No one has yet worked out the psychology—or is it the physio- 
logy—of the greater egg-yield per bird from small flocks. Some 
assert that it is because of the individual attention that may be 
given to birds kept together in small numbers, but while it is true 
that one may keep a stricter eye on a few birds than on a great 
many the fact in no way accounts for the disparity of eggs collected 
from small and large flocks. When so many birds are herded 
together one might argue that they would not all get their fair 
share of food, but this problem can be solved by the feeding of 
dry mash where a plentiful number of hoppers are left open all 
day. 
Regarding grain also the shy feeders in the large flocks have 
quite as much chance of picking up their share where the food is 
scattered over a large area as with the small flock where a couple 
of greedy birds in a smal] house may intimidate the less aggressive 
fowls. I can see no reason from the feeding point of view to 
account for the smaller egg-yield per bird in the large flock. The 
explanation—if there be one—must be psychological or physio- 
logical, or both. Why large numbers kept together in one house 
should not lay so many eggs per bird as smaller numbers under 
one roof is one of those puzzles that are likely to defy the wits of 
man for some time to come. I have not even yet heard of a good 
guess at the cause. 
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I ET it be admitted that for egg-production the small flock 
